Probate of the Will of Samuel Hills
The people of the State of New York by the Grace of God free and Independent: To
all whom these presents shall come or may concern, send Greeting: Know ye that
at Johnstown in the County of Montgomery before James Lansing Esq. Surrogate of
our said County the Last Will and Testament of Samuel Hills deceased (a copy
whereof is hereunto annexed) was proved and is now approved and allowed of by
us, and the said deceased having whilst he lived and at the time of his Death
Goods- Chattels or Credits within this State by means whereof the proving and
registering the said Will and the granting Administration of all and singular
the said Goods, Chattels and Credits, and also the auditing allowing and final
dischargeing the Accounts thereof doth belong unto us: the Administration of all
and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased and any way
concerning his Will is granted unto Adino Hills and Nathaniel Hills, Executors
in the said Will named, they being first duly sworn and faithfully to administer
the same and to make and exhibit a true and perfect inventory of all and
singular the said Goods Chattels and Credits and also to render a just and true
Account thereof when thereunto required. In testimony whereof we have caused the
Seal of Office of our said Surrogate to be hereunto affixed. Witness James
Lansing Esquire Surrogate of the said County at Johnstown the first day of March
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and three and of our
independence the twenty seventh.
Signed James Lansing
In the Name of God amen I Samuel Hills of the Town of Canajoharie of the State
of New York Farmer being in perfect health Mind and memory thanks begiven unto
God calling to Mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed
for all Men once to die do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament that
is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul unto the
Hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the Earth to be
buried in decent Christain burial at the discretion of my Executors nothing
doubting but at the general resurrection I shall reserve the same again by the
mighty power of God and as touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it has pleased
God to bless me in this Life I give devise and dispose of the same in the
following Manner and form--
First I give and bequeath to Thankful my beloved Wife all my household firnature,
two cows, six sheep, the priviledge of the Southwest Room, Kitchen, Buttery and
Saller, the improvements of all the lot West of the House, with a priviledge in
the Barn during her widdowhood. Also I give my two sons Adoni Hills and
Nathaniel Hills all my lands, tenements, moveables and appurtances to be by them
eaqually divided they paying and discharging all my lawful debts.
Also I give to my daughter Lidia a priviledge with her Mother for her Substence
so long as she shall remain unmarried.
Also I give to my Sons & Daughters Samuel Hills Gui Hills Sarah Hills
Roxanna Hills and Lyda Hills one hundred pounds lawful money of the State of New
York to be paid in neat Stock in the manner following, that is to say, Adoni
Hills and Nathaniel Hills shall pay to the above named Sons and Daughters within
one Year after the decease of theare honnored Father five pounds each in Stock
and yearly five pounds each until they have received twenty pounds each, which
is the one hundred pounds intended.
Also I constitute to make and ordain Adoni Hills Nathaniel Hills and Abijah
White to be Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and I do hereby utterly
disallow and disannul all and every other former Testaments, Wills Legacies,
Bequests and Executions by me in anywise before mentioned willed and bequeated,
ratifying and conforming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament. In
witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of
June in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety eight.
Signed and sealed Samuel Hills. Witness Abijah White and Hannah White
(Notes - Sources is Record of Wills of Montgomery County New York 1787-1922 FHL
#0506564 page 225-227. This Samuel Hills is # 188 in THE HILLS FAMILY IN AMERICA
1906. He was born 28 July 1729 in Duxbury Mass the fifth child of Samuel Hills
and Hannah Turner Hills. He married 1. Sarah Lillie and 2. Thankful Rowley both
marriages show in Connecticut Marriages Before 1800. He shows in DAR records as
having served with Colonel Butler's Connecticut Short Term Levies in 1781 and as
having died Feb 28, 1803. The will is submitted complete with the original
misspellings including his children's names. It is believed that Samuel sold his
Colchester Conn properties about 1784 relocating to Canajoharie where he shows
in the 1790 census but not the 1800.)